Saxon McCormick, 17, moved to the remote village of Crestcastle, located in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Ever since her mother perished in an apartment fire, Saxon felt like she needed a chance to escape the busy city life, so called up her pat...
Laurel placed down a shallow glass of sherry and looked out of the large window.
"I hope Saxon settles in here soon, the death of her mother must have left an impact on her." She muttered to herself.
Little did she know, a tired Saxon sat on the carpeted stairs listening to the elderly lady talk. Turning, heading up the stairs and getting into her bed, Saxon made a deal with herself to make friends in her new environment. Too drowsy to keep functioning, she tucked herself in and fell into a light sleep.
Saxon panicked as smoke began to rise around her in great plumes. Frantically looking around for a place to escape, she caught a glimpse of her terrified mother, draped in a pink dressing gown. Running towards her, Saxon was overcome with a choking sensation and began to lose sight of where she was as everything around her transformed into a dark void. Clutching at her throat, she screamed for her mother to run.
Flames licked the corners of the room, morphing into intimidating figures and strange beasts. Almost as suddenly as it came, Saxon's throat relaxed and the smoke cleared. She ran towards where she last saw her mother only to find a disfigured body.
"Saxon, help me, help me Saxon..." The dead woman wept, her blank eyes swimming.
Saxon crumpled to the floor, slamming her hands over her ears, sobs wracking her body as she curled up as tightly as she could.
"Saxon! Saxon, wake up!" Somebody shook her shoulders as she woke up with a jolt, panting.
Her body was covered in sweat and tears.
"It's ok, Saxon, you're ok." Laurel hugged her granddaughter as the shaking calmed down and she was brought back to reality. She got these nightmares a few times a month and each time her mother wept something different. Saxon sniffed and hugged the woman back.
"Sorry for waking you up." She apologised.
"It's ok, it's only 11 at night, I was up anyway." Laurel murmured and released Saxon who rubbed her eyes before snuggling back down in her bed.
Though the rest of her sleep was uneventful, it was still full of tosses and turns.
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Saxon, already dressed, came bouncing down the stairs with a fake smile plastered across her pale sunken face, despite not having the best nights sleep she was intent on going out around the village. Keeping the promise she made to herself. Saxon wasn't one for going back on her words.
"Hi grandma, how did you sleep. I hope I didn't have you up worrying over me." Saxon beamed.
"Oh don't worry about me, dear. As long as you're ok?"
"Oh I'm fine" Saxon brushed off the question and went to open the front door.
"Where are you going? You aren't going to leave without having a bite of food." Lauren questioned as she hurried over to the fridge to locate some eggs to scramble.
"Don't worry about me. I'll grab something while I'm away. I was going to get out and have a proper look around the village, make some friends maybe..." Saxon trailed off and eyed her grandmother to see if her speech had the desired effect. It seemed it had as Laurel's face broke out into a grin and she stopped trying to prepare breakfast. It wasn't that Saxon didn't like eating breakfast, she loved food, it was just that when she had a plan in her head she couldn't seem to think of anything else.
"Oh! In that case... well, I'll see you in a few hours, yeah? Call me if you need a lift back."
Nodding enthusiastically, Saxon slipped out into the cold chill of the Tuesday morning.
